Shloka 8

Matsya Purana — The Rite of Donating the ‘Mountain of Ghee’

Devanagari script

यस्मात्तेजोमयं ब्रह्म घृते तद्विद्ध्यवस्थितम् घृतपर्वतरूपेण तस्मात्त्वं पाहि नो ऽनिशम् //

Transliteration

yasmāttejomayaṃ brahma ghṛte tadviddhyavasthitam ghṛtaparvatarūpeṇa tasmāttvaṃ pāhi no 'niśam //

Translation

Since the radiant Brahman is to be known as abiding in ghee (ghṛta), and since You manifest in the form of a “mountain of ghee,” therefore protect us unceasingly.

Word by Word

• yasmāt: because/since

• tejo-mayam: consisting of radiance, fiery splendor

• brahma: Brahman/the supreme sacred principle

• ghṛte: in ghee (clarified butter)

• tat: that

• viddhi: know (understand)

• avasthitam: established, abiding

• ghṛta-parvata-rūpeṇa: in the form of a ghee-mountain

• tasmāt: therefore

• tvam: you

• pāhi: protect

• naḥ: us

• aniśam: without interruption, continually

Speaker

• A ritual supplicant / hymn-voice within the Matsya Purana narrative frame (devotional address to the Supreme, commonly understood as Vishnu/Narayana as the sustaining Brahman)

Entities Mentioned

• Brahman
• Ghrita (clarified butter)
• Supreme Lord (implicitly Vishnu/Narayana)

Tags

• Ritual
• Upasana
• Ghrita
• Brahman
• Protection

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

Indirectly, it presents Brahman as the radiant, sustaining principle present in ritual substance (ghee), emphasizing preservation and continuous protection rather than a direct Pralaya narrative.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

It supports the householder’s yajña-oriented dharma: ghee is central to offerings, and recognizing the divine presence in sacrificial materials aligns daily rites with devotion and the seeking of protection for the community and household.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it elevates ghṛta as a bearer of divine radiance (tejas) used in homa/yajña; the ‘ghṛta-mountain’ image magnifies the sanctity and potency of ghee in offering and consecratory contexts.